A 22-year-old man was killed Tuesday afternoon after his motorcycle crashed into the back of a semi-truck that was preparing to turn onto a county road in Sac County, Iowa. The victim, identified as Johnathan Alexander Scales of Ida Grove, died at the scene of the collision, which happened along Iowa Highway 175 near Odebolt.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 1:11 p.m. on November 10, near the intersection of Highway 175 and Cory Avenue, about 2.5 miles west of Odebolt.
Scales was riding a 2026 Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound along the highway when he approached a 1999 Kenworth semi-truck traveling in the same direction. The truck was driven by 71-year-old Darel Lee Godbersen of Odebolt.
Investigators said Godbersen was preparing to make a left turn onto Cory Avenue when Scales’ motorcycle struck the back of the semi-truck. The impact left the young motorcyclist with fatal injuries.
Despite the emergency response, Scales could not be saved. He died at the scene. Godbersen, meanwhile, escaped the collision without injuries.
The semi-truck was associated with Youngren Farms Trucking LLC, a company based in Odebolt, according to the Iowa State Patrol’s preliminary crash report.
Several emergency agencies responded to the scene, including the Iowa State Patrol, Sac County Sheriff’s Office and Odebolt Fire Department. Precision Towing also assisted with the incident.
Scales’ death has left a life cut short following a collision that unfolded in a matter of seconds along the rural Iowa highway. Authorities have not released further details about the young man’s activities before the crash.
The Iowa State Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. The preliminary report identifies the vehicles, drivers and sequence of events but does not provide additional details about what led to the motorcycle striking the rear of the truck.